Though their client list reads like a Hollywood gossip sheet (including David Beckham, Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz, and Paul McCartney), Galvin and Mohapi pride themselves on an unpretentious, client-driven approach. “Here, it’s not unusual to see somebody from Beverly Hills getting her big blowout next to an Eastside Silverlake kid having his tips dyed green,” says Mohapi.

The 2,300-square-foot salon is simultaneously cozy and industrial, with exposed wooden ceilings and a concrete floor juxtaposed against highbrow British details. Eight styling chairs are anchored by Edwardian writing tables; coffee is served in individual French presses and tea in mismatched China cups and saucers; the walls are dotted with a rotating art collection curated by Sonja Teri and featuring pieces by Shepard Fairey, Anthony Lister, and Curtis Kulig. In the lounge, where people sit quietly tapping on laptops, Galvin and Mohapi’s own art and architecture books are displayed.

Benjamin Mohapi and James Galvin in their L.A. salon.

As protégés of the largest salon in Europe, Daniel Galvin Salon—helmed by James’s father, Daniel—Galvin and Mohapi knew they would need to leave England to bring to life the shared vision they’d been imagining since 2003. “If I was ever going to do anything different, it had to be really different,” Galvin explains, referring to the towering careers of his father Daniel and sister Louise, both world-renowned colorists. “We toyed with New York, but there’s just something about L.A. You have this ‘can do’ attitude, where anything’s possible.” Mohapi laughs self-consciously about the L.A. concept of energy, elaborating, “London is a fabulous city, one of the best cities in the world, but when I’m here in L.A., I feel free.”

The quietly chic corner of West Hollywood which houses the salon perfectly suited their hopes for a space that melded the artsy Eastside and relaxed Westside and the cool Hollywood vibe. “They’re all part of who we are,” says Galvin, who lives in Venice with his wife, Leanne, the salon’s head colorist. Silverlake-dwelling Mohapi explains that he feels L.A. is more sophisticated than it’s often given credit for, citing the art, architecture, and innovative food. “We wanted to harken back to the idea of a Georgian salon, where people share ideas—come in, sit down, and talk about street culture, or architecture, or art. You don’t want to be fancy. You just want to give people really good service in an environment they feel comfortable in. We always come back to the idea that whoever is in the chair is the focus.”

The Galvin Benjamin salon is located at 8910 Melrose Avenue (424-249-3296), in Los Angeles.